Roundwood stump processor

ABSTRACT

A method for harvesting trees into sectioned pulpwood bolts by means of an extendable head-reach mechanism and processor pivotally supported on a mobile vehicle for arculate horizontal movement and vertical elevational movement about and with respect to the machine.

United States Patent 1191 McColl 1451 Oct. 30, 1973 ROUNDWOOD STUMPPROCESSOR 3,348,592 10/1967 Winblad et al. 144 3 1) 3,385,333 5/1968Eynon 144/3 D [75] Inventorg 'g 'l' Mccollwhltbyontano 3,557,849 1/1971Martinson 144 3 D [73] Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc., Toledo, Ohio MPrimary Examiner-Gerald A. Dost [22] led: 7, 1971 Attorney-Beveridge eta1. [21] Appl. No.: 187,402

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 10,976, Feb. 12,1970, Pat. No. [57] ABSTRACT A method for harvesting trees intosectioned pulp- 52 us. ca 144/309 AC, 144/3 1) wood bolts y means of anextendable head-reach [51] int. (Ii A0lg 23/02 mechanism and ProcessorPivotally Supported on a 53 w Search 144/2 Z, 3 D, 34 R mobile vehiclefor arculate horizontal movement and 44 309 AC vertical elevationalmovement about and with respect to the machine [56] References CitedUNlTED STATES PATENTS 7/1964 Propst 144/3 1) 2 Claims, 20 DrawingFigures PATENIEUUBI 30 I975 3.758.529

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' SHEEI IUUFIO new ROUNDWOOD STUMP PROCESSOR This is a division, ofapplication Ser. No. 10,976, filed Feb. 12, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No.3,643,709 of Feb. 22, 1972.

This invention relates to treeharvesting and in particular to a machinefor severing and processing trees into pulpwood at the stump locationand the material handling of pulpwood to primary landings in the .forestareas.

BACKGROUND In present pulpwood operations in forest areas, the manualfelling of trees by chainsaw is, generally speaking, still the order ofthe day. Subsequent to such man ual felling, the trees are usuallydebranched and then skidded to a secondary landing for furtherprocessing and from where conventional transportation of thesectionalized trees may begin. However, recent improvements in suchforest area operations have been provided by the advent of the forwardertype of material handling machine as disclosed in my Canadian Pat. No.

659,445 of Mar. 12th, 1963.

In combination with forwarders, trees which are felled manually orotherwise are debranched at the stump location and usually sectionedinto eight foot bolts and then bunched at the primary landing, i.e.,some thirty feet from the stump location. The forwarder gathers andloads the bolts and transports them over the cut areas to the secondarylanding, i.e. on or adjacent to a branch road where the load istransferred by the forwarder to conventional truck transportation.

The object of this invention is to present a logical and novel stepforward for a wide range of present forest production operations. Thisis achieved by providing a machine for (a) severing a tree from itsstump; (b) debranching and sectionalizing the tree bole into desiredbolt lengths; (c) collecting the bolts into a magazine as they aresectioned and then (d) depositing a fullmagazine load at the primarylanding in an orderly pile which can subsequently be transported to thesecondary landing, for example'by forwarder machines.

' According to one aspect of theinvention, an apparatus for processingtrees comprises a high mobility, ground traversing vehicle; a head-reachmechanism mounted on one endof the vehicle and being pivotally connectedthereto at its inner end for both vertical and horizontal movement withrespect to the vehicle; a tree processing unit mounted at the outer endof the headreach mechanism and including means to (a) grasp and sever atree from its stump, (b) debranch the severed tree and (c) sectionalize'the'debran'ched tree into bolts of a desired length; and means carriedby the processing unit for receivingstoring and depositing the pulp woodbolts. I

Although the roundwood operations described in this application can berelated to any desired length of pulpwood bolt, the disclosure by way ofexample will be directed to eight foot pulpwood.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine according to the inventionand illustrates the processing unit approaching a tree graspingposition;

FIG.'2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the processor in a raisedposition;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the processor unit shown in FIGS. 1and 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the processor unit as shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan view, partly cut away, of one housing of the processorunit shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an elevation view in section of one housing of the processorand taken along the lines 77 of FIG.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are elevation views, partly in section of a helical cutterand feed roll respectively of the processor unit;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the processor unit in theFIG. 1 position;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the processor unit in theFIG. 2 position;

FIG. 12 is an elevation view in cross section of the actuating means forthe magazine feed system;

FIGS. 12A to 12C are plan views in cross section of the actuating meansof FIG. 11 and illustrate three operative positions of the mechanism;

FIGS. 13; 14 and 15 are plan views of the storage magazine in thevertical processing position showing the relationship between theactuating means of FIG. 12 and the cradle arms of the magazine;

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIGS. 13-15 and shows the magazine whenfully loaded in either vertical or horizontal position; and

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 16 butshowing the magazine unloadingin its horizontal position.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION As shown in FIG. 1 the invention includes a highmobility vehicle generally indicated at l capable of travelling overdifficult terrain in the forest where cutting operations take place. Oneend of the vehicle 1 supports a head-reach mechanism 2 for reaching outto a tree in a stand thereof, the tree subsequently being grasped andsevered from its stump by a processor unit 3 secured to the outerend ofthe head-reach mechanism. Referring to FIG. 2, a storage means in theform of a magazine 4 is pivotally attached to the processor unit 3 forreceiving and collecting eight foot pulpwood bolts as they exit from theprocessing unit 3. Although the invention is not limited to a specifictype of chassis, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the preferred form thereof ina center frame articulated chassis such as that disclosed in CanadianPat. No. 659,445 of Mar. 12,1963. Alternately, an articulated chassis ofthe illustrated type could also utilize a positive traction system asshown in my United States Pat. No. 3,335,810 of Aug. 15th,

The use of the present invention in tree harvesting operations replacesthe manual felling, debranching,

In accordance with the illustrations of FIGS. 1 and 2, the machine 1 ismanoeuvered to a point adjacent a stand of trees and the head-reachmechanism 2 is swung so processor unit 3 is positioned against a tree.The tree is then grasped, severed by the processor and the processor iselevated to its raised position of FIG. 2, the magazine 4 being loweredto an operative position to receive processed bolts from the unit 3.When the magazine is full, the magazine 4 is moved to its FIG. 1position and the load is deposited at a primary landing 6. The forwardermachine 5 then picks up the bundles of bolts at the primary landings 6and, when loaded (FIG. 1) transports the load to a secondary landing fortransfer to conventional transport.

VEHICLE AND HEAD-REACH MECHANISM The vehicle portion of machine 1 hasfore and aft frame sections 10 and 12 respectively, joined together byan articulated joint preferably of the type shown in my abovementionedCanadian Pat. No. 659,445. Both frame sections 10 and 12 are supportedon rubber tires 14, the vehicle being steered by angularly displacingone frame section with respect to the other by means of hydraulicactuators 16 interconnecting frame sections 10 and 12. The rear frame 12houses a power source 18 for propelling the vehicle 1 and for actuatingthe head-reach mechanism 2, processing unit 3 and magazine 4 throughappropriate power drive.

A control cab 20 is mounted for rotation on front frame 10 by means of aturntable 22. A vertically oriented mast 24 is carried outwardly andforwardly of the cab 20 by upper and lower horizontal supports 26 and 28respectively. Mast 24 rotates in the supports 26, 28 about a generallyvertical axis. Lever arms 30 are secured to the upper end of mast 24where the latter protrudes through and above the support 26. The ends ofthe arms 30 are connected to the structure of the cab 20 through a pairof hydraulic actuators 32. It will be appreciated from FIG. 1 thatoperation of actuators 32 will rotate the mast 24 about its verticalaxis and that the head-reach-mechanism 2,'processor 3 and magazine 4directly or indirectly connected to the mast 24 will be swung in ahorizontal arc relative to the cab 20.

The head-reach-mechanism 2 is of pantographic layout so that theprocessor unit 3 is held generally vertical whether it is lowered to thecutting position, FIG. 1, or raised to the processing position, FIG. 2,by the mechanism 2. The head-reach-mechanism includes an upper beam 34and lower beam 36 maintained in spaced parallel relation. A centrallylocated spacer 38 is pivotally secured to the upper beam 34 by pins 40and to the lower beam 36 by pins 42. The outer ends of beams 34 and 36are spaced by and connected to a sub-frame 44 by upper and lower pins 46and 48. At the inner ends of the head-reach mechanism 2, beam 34 ispivotally-connected by horizontal pins 50 in lugs 52 secured to andextending from the mast 24. The inner end of beam 36 has spaced lugs 54which are pivotally connected to a mast lug 56 by a horizontal shaft 58.A pair of hydraulic actuators 60 are pivotally secured at their upperends to pins 62 on either-side of the beam 34. At their lower endsactuators 60 are pivotally attached to the shaft 58 intermediate thelugs 54 and the mast lug 56. As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, operation ofactuators 60 will raise or lower the head-reachmechanism 2 and theprocessor unit 3 and magazine 4 secured thereto.

TREE PROCESSOR The processing unit 3 is structurally illustrated inFIGS. 3-9 and operationally in FIGS. 10 and 11. Referring first to FIGS.3, 4 and 5 a frame 64. C or U shaped in the plan view of FIG. 4, issecured to the subframe 44 on the outer end of the head-reach-mechanism2. Frame 64 has a base 66 and side members 68 and 70, the latter beinginterconnected by two parallel shafts 72 and 74.

Two vertically oriented, parallel processor housings 76, 76 arerespectively provided with lugs 78, 78 of box structure (FIG. 5), whichare slidably mounted on shafts 72, 74. Additionally each lug is threadedto receive a lead screw shaft 80 rotated by suitable motor means 82.With opposite threads within lugs 78, 78 it will be appreciated that,rotation of screw shaft 80 will reciprocate the lugs 78, 78 andprocessor housings 76, 76' toward or away from one another along theshafts 72, 74, depending on the direction of rotation of the shaft 80.

Referring to FIG. 3, processor housing 76 includes, on its upper end, arotary fly cutter 84 having a plurality of circumferentially spacedknives 86 thereon. Rotatably mounted on and projecting from the sidesurface of the housing 76 are a pair of helical cutters 87, 88; an upperpair of feed rolls 89, 90; and a lower pair of feed rolls 91, 92. Itwill be noted that housing 76' has an identical number of elementsbearing like reference numerals but with prime designations.

In the positions of FIGS. 3-5, the processor housings 76, 76' are opento receive a tree therebetween as shown in FIG. I. In addition to thereciprocal movement afforded by the lead screw shaft 80, each housing76, 76' must rotate inwardly 45 with respect to one another so as toclose upon a tree as shown in FIGS. 2, and 11. As illustrated in FIG. 5,lug 78' encloses motormeans 94 having a gear 96. Gear 96 meshes with agear 98 on the housing 76', when actuated by motor 94 rotates housing76' through 45. Lug 78 also includes identical motor-means andassociated elements for simultaneously relating housing 76 so that theprocessor unit assumes the position of FIGS. 2 and 1 1. As seen in FIGS.1, l0 and 3-5, when the housings 76, 76' are open spiral cutters 87, 87'feed rolls 89, 89, 91 and 91' present a first group of elements withtheir rotational axis parallel but in a stacked relation one over theother. Spiral cutters 88, 88' and feed rolls 90, 90', and 92 and 92'present a second group of elements, normal to the first group and spacedfrom one another so that in a plan view such as FIG. 4, all elementsform an open C configuration to receive a tree therein as shown in FIGS.1 and 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 10, frame 66 has a plate 102 at the lowerend thereof to which scissor shears 104, 106 are pivotally secured andwhich are open and closed by hydraulic actuators 108, 110. After theprocessor unit 3 has received the tree in its side opening, motors 94(FIG. 5) are actuated to rotate the housings 76, 76 through 45 so thatthe spiral cutters and feed rolls on housing 76 all lie normal to thecorresponding elements on housing 76' as shown in FIG. I 1. Motors 82then rotate lead screw shaft 80 to bring the housings 76, 76' toward oneanother whereby the surface of the tree is engaged at eight points aboutits circumference by feed rolls 89-92. Shears 104, 106 are then operatedby actuators 108, 110 to shear the tree from its stump, the magazine islowered to its FIG. 2 position andproces'sing of the tree bole thenbegins as shown in FIG. 11.

Feed rolls 89 to 92 are rotated to draw the bole downwardly along theprocess path, gripping contact being maintained by constant torque onshaft lead screw 80. Spiral cutters 87-88 are rotated in the oppositedirection to remove the branches from the bole, as do the rotating flycutters 84 which remove branches that could otherwise jam on the headsof the processor housings.

PROCESSOR DETAIL The mechanism for rotating the operative elements ofthe housings 76, 76' is shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 inclusive. Referring firstto FIGS. 6 and 7, processor housing 76 shown in cross section includes afirst meter 1 12, detachably mounted in the housing by a removable boxstructure 114, and adapted to rotate the fly cutter 84 and spiralcutters 87 and 88. A second motor 116 is removably mounted in thehousing by box structure 118 and is adapted to rotate feed rollers89-92.

First motor 112 drives a spur gear 118 which is in mesh with and rotatesa spur gear 120 secured to the fly cutter 84. Gear 120 is in turn inmesh with and rotates a spur gear 122 on a shaft 124 which drives spiralcutter 87 through bevel gears 126 and 128 and also drives cutter 88 (notshown) by means of bevel gears 130 and 131. Three aligned shafts 132,134 and 136 are rotated by second motor 114 through spur gears 138, 140and 142. Shaft 132 has a bevel gear 144 which serves to rotate a meshingbevel gear 146 and its feed roll 89. The upper end of shaft 134 rotatesfeed roll 90, not shown, by bevel gears 148 andl50; and shaft 136rotates feed roll 91 through bevel gears 152, 154 and also rotates feedroll 92 by bevel gears 156, 158 on its lower end.

It will be observed from FIG. 7 that the upper and lower sections of thehousing 76 are joined by a connecting portion 160 which rotatably mountsthe housing within the mounting lug 78:

FIG. 8 is a partial cut away view of spiral cutter 87 to illustrate thestructure thereof. A sleeve 162 has a flange 164 secured to the housing76 by bolts 166. A drive shaft 168 is centrally positioned in the sleeve162 by a ball race 170, bevel gear 128 being secured on the inner end ofthe shaft by a key 172 and nut 174. The outer end of shaft 168 has anintegrally formed flange 176 detachably secured to the spiral cutter bybolts 178 whereby rotation of shaft 168 effects rotation of the cutter.Cutter 87 comprises a cylindrical body 180 rotatably mounted on thesleeve 162 by ball races 182 and 184. The surface of the cylinder 180has a plurality of helical blades 186 which effect a combined slicingand shearing action in close proximity to the tree bole to remove thebranches therefrom.

FIG. 9 is a partial cut away view of feed roll 89, one of the eight suchrolls of the processor unit 3. The roll 89 is secured in position by asleeve 188 having a flange 190 mounted on the housing 76 by bolts 192. Adrive shaft 194 is centrally mounted for rotation in the sleeve 188 by aball race 196, bevel gear 146 being secured to the inner end of shaft194 by a key 198 and nut 200. The outer end of sleeve 188 has a gearedcollar 202 secured thereto and the outer end of drive shaft 194 isrotatably mounted in the collar by a sun gear 204 on the end of theshaft 194 and intermeshing planetory gears 206 on an end plate 208. Theroll 89 includes a cylindrical body 210 having a plurality of axiallyextending serations 212 which positively grip the surface of the treebole. The cylindrical body 210 is secured to the end plate 208 by bolts214 and is freely mounted on sleeve 188 by inner and outer ball races216, 218 respectively. It will be understood from FIG. 9 that cylinder210 of feed roll 89 is rotated by the drive shaft 194 via the gears 204,206 and end plate 208.

PROCESSED TREE STORAGE MEANS The magazine 4 is carried by the frame 66and is operable to two positions, (a) substantially vertical as in FIGS.2 and 11 while a tree bole is being processed and in which position themagazine receives and stores the processed bolts and (b) substantiallyhorizontal when the processing unit 3 is engaging and severing a tree,FIGS. 1 and 10, or when the magazine is unloading its capacity of bolts(FIG. 17) which is the order of onethird cunit of processed pulpwood.

As shown in FIG. 11, magazine 4 includes two parallel standards 220, 222pivotally secured at their upper ends to the side members 68, of theframe 66 and at their bottom ends by a plate 221. Frame 66 includesrearwardly projecting lugs 224 which pivotally mount the cylinders ofhydraulic actuators 226, the piston rods 228 thereof being pivotallymounted to lugs 230 on the magazine standards 220, 222.

Operation of actuators 226 swing the magazine 4 to the horizontal orvertical positions of FIGS. 10 or 11.

Referring momentarily to FIG. 16, the magazine 4 is sub-divided into aprocess path 232 and a storage area 234. FIG. 11 shows that the processpath 232, indicated by bolt T shown in phantom line, is defined by upperand lower arcuate feed arms 236, 238 and upper and lower pairs of gateshafts 240, 242. The storage area 234 is defined by the gate shafts 240,242 and first and second pairs of cradle arms 244 and 246 respectively.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of the mechanism foroperating the feed arms, gate shafts and cradle arms, it will beappreciated from FIG. 11 that as the tree hole is drawn downwardly bythe feed rolls 89-92' and delimbed by the fly cutters 84, 84 and spiralcutters 87-88, it is fed along the process path 232 and is severed byshears 104, 106 at the desired length. From'the position of FIG. 13, thefeed arms 236, 238 are rotated and the gate shafts 240, 242 are opened(FIG. 14 so that the bolt T is kicked into the storage area 234, thegates and arms sequentially returning to their former positions as shownin FIG. 15.

Returning to FIG. 11, the first pair of cradle arms 244 are pivotallymounted on standard 220 and are connected together by a member 248.Cradles 244 are operated from a fully closed position, FIG. 13, to afully open position, FIG. 17, by an actuator 250 pivotally secured atone end to an extension 252 of the upper cradle 244 and at the other endto a stationary arm 254 extending rearwardly from standard 222. In likefashion, upper and lower cradles 246 are connected by a member 256 andare open and closed by an actuator 258 mounted between an extension 260of upper cradle 246 and a stationary arm 262 extending rearwardly fromstandard 220. FIGS. 13-15 show that the storage area 234 is enlarged aseach bolt is transferred thereto from the process path 232 by thecradles 244, 246 opening slightly. This maintains control over the loadin the magazine 4 and may be governed, for example,

by feedback hydraulic circuitry between cradle actuators 250, 258 andthe means actuating the arcuate feed arms 236.

STORAGE FEED SYSTEM The mechanism for operating the arcuate feed arms236, 238 and the gate shafts 240, 242 is shown in FIGS. 12 through 12C,FIG. 12 showing standards 220 and 222 in phantom line and enclosingportions of the mechanism.

Feed arm 236 and gate shafts 240 are mounted in a pair of enclosurjes264 on standard 220 and 266 on standard 222. The lower feed arm 238 andgate shafts 242 are mounted in enclosures 268 on standard 220 and 270 onstandard 222. Hydraulic rotary actuators 272 and 274 (reference FIG. 11)operate the mechanism in the enclosures through drive shafts 276 and 278extending'vertically within the interior of standards 220 and 222respectively. Each shaft 276 and 278 is secured to the vane of itsrotary actuator 272, 274 respectively and is mounted for rotation ateach end in enclosures 264-270. In addition, each end of each shaft 276,278 is provided with a helical gear 280 and a crank 282. The. arcuatefeed arm 236 is positioned within guides 284 in enclosures 264, 266 andeach end of arm 236 has a helical gear 286 in mesh with the gears 280 ofshafts 276 and 278.

Gate shafts 240 are mounted for reciprocation in guides 288 ofenclosures 264 and 266, the inner end of each shaft 240 having a camplate 290 with a guide slot 292 therein receiving a crank pin 294 of thecrank 282. The description-of the mechanism of shafts 240 and feed arm236 is also applicable to shafts 242 and feed arm 238 and thus will notbe repeated. It will be understood from FIGS. 12 through 12C thatoperation of the rotary actuators 272, 274 rotates drive shafts 276 and278 which in turn rotate feed arms 236, 238 while at the same timereciprocate gate shafts 240 242. This action of the magazine feed systemwhen a bolt is fed into the process path 232 results in the transfer ofthe bolt to the storage area 234 as shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 15. Itwill be noted from FIG. 14 that as the gate shafts 240 open, the feedarm 236 pushes the bolt through the gate and against the cradle arms244, 246 which open up to accept the volume of the bolt introduced intothe storage area. Reverse rotation of actuators 272, 274 from their FIG.12C position return the arm 236 to its postion of FIG. 12A and the gateshafts 240 are simultaneously closed and the arm 236 is ready to receiveanother bolt, FIG. 15.

The sequence of FIGS. l3, l4 and 15 is repeated until the magazine 4 isfull as shown in FIG. 16. Actuators 226 then raise the magazine to itshorizontal position in conjunction with the lowering of the head-reachmechanism 2. By rotating the cab and head-reach mechanism 2 the magazineis unloaded at a primary landing 6 by operation of actuators 250 and 258as illustrated in FIGl l7.

OPERATIONAL SEQUENCE 1. Processor housings 76 are rotated to their openposition FIG. 3, and are spaced wide on shafts 72, 74 by motor 82 andscrew shaft 80;

2. Magazine 4 is raised by actuators 226 to its horizontal position,FIGS. 1 and 10;

3. The machine 1 is manoeuvered so that the processor unit 3 ispositioned as in FIGS. 1 and 10 and the tree is engaged by the oddnumbered spiral cutters and feed rolls 87-91. The shears 104, 106 areopened and positioned at stump height;

4. Motors 94 rotate housings 76, 76' 45 so that the feed rolls embracethe tree above the stump level; motor 82 and screw shaft draw housings76, 76' toward one another to center and engage the tree surface ateight locations;

5. Shears 104, 106 are actuated, severing the tree bole from the stump.The head-reach 2 raises the processor unit 3 and the tree bole securedtherein, FIG. 2. Actuators 226 lower the magazine to its verticalposition with plate 22, placed firmly on the ground by headreachmechanism 2;

6. Shears 104, 106 are opened, feed rolls 89-92 are rotated, feeding thebole downward along the process path 232; spiral cutters 87-88 and flycutters 84, 84' are also rotated delimbing the bole as it passes throughthe processor as shown in FIG. 11;

7. At the desired bolt length shears I04, 106 are actuated to sever thebolt from its hole in the processor, the bolt T dropping to the plate221 as shown in FIG. 11;

8. Rotary actuators 272, 274 rotate feed arms 236, 238 and open gateshafts 240, 242, transferring bolt to the storage area defined bycradles 244, 246, FIGS. 13-15 and is repeated until the magazine 4 isfilled as in FIG. 16.

9. When the magazine is full it is raised to its horizontal position byactuators 226, the machine 1 swings the magazine to a primary landinglocation and the cradles 244, 246 are opened (FIG. 17) to place theirload of pulpwood on the ground in an orderly manner for subsequentrecovery by a forwarder machine.

I claim: I

1. A method of harvesting trees utilizing a mobile vehicle with ahead-reach mechanism and a processor and storage magazine carried by themechanism, the method comprising the steps of:

a. engaging a standing tree with the processor;

b. grasping the tree with the processor and shearing the tree from itsstump;

c. raising the processor, with the tree bole therein, in

a vertical plane;

d. swinging said magazine to a vertical position below said processor;

e. feeding said tree bole downwardly through the processor'to remove thebranches from the bole and severing the bole into bolts of a desiredlength;

f. sequentially filling said magazine as the bolts are severed;

g. swinging said magazine to a substantially horizontal position;

h. lowering said processor and magazine to a position adjacent theground; and

i. unloading a plurality of processed bolts from the magazine.

2. A method of harvesting trees comprising the steps a. grasping a treein a processor unit and severing the tree from its stump;

b. raising the processor with the tree bole therein, in

a vertical plane;

c. feeding the severed tree bole vertically downwardly through theprocessor to debranch said bole;

d. shearing said bole into bolts of a desired length;

e. receiving and storing a plurality of said bolts in a generallyvertical position as they are vertically processed; and

f. unloading said plurality of bolts in an orderly arrangement.

1. A method of harvesting trees utilizing a mobile vehicle with ahead-reach mechanism and a processor and storage magazine carried by themechanism, the method comprising the steps of: a. engaging a standingtree with the processor; b. grasping the tree with the processor andshearing the tree from its stump; c. raising the processor, with thetree bole therein, in a vertical plane; d. swinging said magazine to avertical position below said processor; e. feeding said tree boledownwardly through the processor to remove the branches from the boleand severing the bole into bolts of a desired length; f. sequentiallyfilling said magazine as the bolts are severed; g. swinging saidmagazine to a substantially horizontal position; h. lowering saidprocessor and magazine to a position adjacent the ground; and i.unloading a plurality of processed bolts from the magazine.
 2. A methodof harvesting trees comprising the steps of: a. grasping a tree in aprocessor unit and severing the tree from its stump; b. raising theprocessor with the tree bole therein, in a vertical plane; c. feedingthe severed tree bole vertically downwardly through the processor todebranch said bole; d. shearing said bole into bolts of a desiredlength; e. receiving and storing a plurality of said bolts in agenerally vertical position as they are vertically processed; and f.unloading said plurality of bolts in an orderly arrangement.